What happened to school funding?

To understand present conditions in school funding, a historic overview is important and enlightening. The differnces over time in spending by different types of school districts help us see the picutre more clearly.

In 1965, the Robinson v. Cahill challenges to Nrew Jersey's school funding system had led to the shutdown of the schools and the passage of an income to pay for education. At that time, the average difference in per pupil expenditures between rich and poor districts was between $200 and $300. In terms of today's dollar value, that seems like a small difference, but when viewed in 1965 dollars it made a significant difference in the education that a school district could provide.

In the next15 years ,the funding gap between the wealthiest and poorest schol districts had multiplied by 5 to 7 times. In 1990, 15 years later, average per pupil spending had grown to $5,638. The wealthier districts (which later were categorized as the I and J districts) were spending an average of $6,555 per pupil. This was $917, and 16%, greater than the state average. The middle income schools (later categorized as C through G districts) were spending very close to the state average -- only $58 higher (1%). They trailed the wealthier districts by $927, an amount 3 to 4 times greater than the difference in 1960.

The group of poor urban districts that were designated the A and B districts, came to be called Abbott districts, after the Abott v. Burke plaintiff. In 1990, these districts were spending an average of $5,000 per pupil. This amount was $638 below the state average, about 8%. Clearly the gap in funding per pupil had grown dramatically in 15 years. The spending per pupil of the wealthier I and J districts, an average of $6,555, was $1,000 higher than the middle districts and $1,500 higher than spending in the Abbott districts.

15 years after the Abbott V decision, the state had failed to address the disparity in per pupil spending that led to the Abbott decisions of the 1960s. These were the facts that faced the NJ Supreme Court when it found that not only had the funding gap of 1965 not been eliminated, it had grown 5 to 7 times greater. The Court also had the 606 page decision by Judge Steven I. Lefelt, decided on August 24, 1988. The Supreme Court had remanded the Abbott v. Burke case to the Office of Administrative Law "to conduct a thorough hearing to produce a complete and informed record containing determinations of any appropriate administrative issues as well as resolutions of factual matters material to the ultimate constitutional issues raised by the parties." Judge Lefelt wrote movingly about his findings. "I do not believe in fixing what is not broken. The implementation of Chapter 212 (Public Education Act of 1965) gave the appearaance of constructive movement, but a reordering of resources has not occurred and the quality of education statewide has not improved. ... This case has illuminated for me the prodigious efforts which must be undertaken by those urban youth who make it through the current system to productive lives. I have a greater appreciation for this effort. If we do not wish to spend monies easing these students' entry into contemporary society, then there are those who argue that we will have to spend the funds later in welfare, Medicaid, job training and prison. ... I do not believe this question should be answered only on a cost-benefit basis. Some of the costs are relatively easy to calculate, but the benefits are not. ... How important to society are flexible, imaginative and inventive citizens? I cannot even guess. Suffice to say that I opt for providing equal opportunity to all our children, no matter where they may live."

Lefelt's decision was sent to the Commissioner of the Department of Education, Saul Cooperman, who, by law was empowered to make a final decision. If Cooperman failed to act in 45 days, unlesss the time limit was extended, Lefelt's decision would become a final decision.

When the Commissioner and the State failed to take action to address the huge disparities in funding of school districts, the Supreme Court heard the case and declared the Public Education Act of 1975 unconstitutional.

A child born in 1970, when the first Robinson court challenge began, would have completed high school and college with a few years to spare. We will never know how many NJ children who continued to go to schools in very bad conditions, in overcrowded classrooms and schools failed to make it through school. Since we failed to provide them with the same amount of money as was spent on children in other districts, they paid the consequences in lives that failed to bring the achievement they were capable of.